Til the End of the Line
by TerraMacMillan
Summary: At long last, Steve and Bucky's big day has arrived and Steve can't help but reminisce about what they've been through.


' **Til the End of the Line**

 **Summary:** At long last, Steve and Bucky's big day has arrived and Steve can't help but reminisce about what they've been through.

 **Disclaimer:** All of the characters in this story are the property of Marvel. I am not making any money off of this story.

 **Long Author's Note:** Yes, I realize that the title is cliché, but I thought really hard to figure out another one and I just couldn't. Nothing sounded right. So I sucked it up and went with this one. I hope that doesn't throw anyone off. Also, this is not intended to be a follow up to my other Stucky one-shot, _No Mistakes._ I merely got inspired to write something new for Steve and Bucky and if you want to consider it a follow up, be my guest.

This may be a Stucky story, but if you have any hate towards Sharon Carter, kindly take it somewhere else. I like Sharon a lot, both in the comics and in the MCU, and I will not tolerate absurd, unwarranted hate. This is a Sharon Carter safe zone. Please respect it.

I started writing this long before Civil War came out. Hell, I started writing it before any of the trailers were released. Because clearly I am a crappy friend and can't get my shit together long enough to write something for someone when I promise that I will… That being said, I want everyone to know that –for this story- Civil War happened differently. They were all happy-happy and decided to use logic instead of fighting and were willing to go to bat for Bucky. I'm also making a few changes regarding what happened in Age of Ultron. Pietro survived, Bruce didn't leave, and instead of having a secret family, Clint lives on the farm with his brother Barney (who is a neutral party in all things Super) and Lucky the Golden Retriever. Why? Because I can and I ship Clintasha to ends of the universe. I have nothing against Clint's secret family (although I found the lack of build up with a few things in Age of Ultron a bit annoying) but Clintasha one of my favorite ships and I want to write it. So there you go. If none of that has thrown you off, I hope you read on and enjoy! Let me know what you think!

Also, I would like to point out that I watched a fifteen second clip from Jessica Jones where the theme from _It's Pasty_ was playing in the background on youtube about thirty times just so that I could make sure that I had the melody right for a bit in this story. I hope you appreciate my dedication.

(-)

There wasn't a word in the English language, or any of the languages that Steve spoke fluently, that could accurately describe the feeling that he was feeling. His stomach was in knots, there was a lump in his throat that was making it hard to breath, and his nerves were all completely wired; yet, somehow, Steve was also at peace. Nothing had ever felt as right to him as standing in the living room of his apartment in the Avengers tower, adjusting the jacket of his dress uniform for the forty seventh time in an hour, preparing himself for the moment that he had been hoping and wishing and praying for since he was a teenager.

Few people had ever known the truth about Steve and Bucky. The world had long seen them as the closest of friends, but it had been more than that. The Howling Commandos and Peggy were the only people that he knew of who had known the truth before he hit the ice.

All of the Howling Commandos found out within the first year of their formation. Dernier and Jones had reacted positively, but it had taken the others a while to feel comfortable with it. Eventually, though, they came around and apologized for their coldness. Steve and Bucky had quickly forgiven them, having expected their reaction. There weren't many people who would have accepted them at all, so a few awkward weeks were easy to forgive.

But Peggy… Steve would never have been able to thank Peggy enough, even if he had those seventy years back to do so. Not only had she covered for him and Bucky during the war, even going so far as to stash her photograph in his compass to throw any suspicion off of them, she had even kept up the act after the war. Steve knew that doing so had caused her a lot of grief from the people around her, men in particular, and very well could have damaged her position within the SSR and her prospects of finding a husband. But she had insisted –over and over, with every loss of her memory- that she hadn't minded. It weeded out the weak both professionally and personally, she said. She hadn't even told her husband, Daniel, the truth.

Steve remembered how his feelings for Bucky had hit him suddenly, like a punch to the stomach. One day, Bucky was his best friend and the next, Steve was completely enamored with him. Perhaps they hadn't been so abrupt, but his recognition of those feelings most certainly had been. Not quite sixteen years old and terrified, he had tried to avoid Bucky. He had failed miserably and only succeeded in hurting his best friend. In the mad rush to assure Bucky that he hadn't done anything wrong, Steve had stuttered and stumbled over his words so terribly that he lost track of what he had been trying to say and unintentionally blurted out the truth.

After a moment of horrified, stunned silence, Steve had attempted to bolt from the room. Bucky blocked him and Steve, trying and failing to keep his fearful tears in check, had offered hysterical apologies and begged forgiveness. Bucky had stared at him for a moment, brows furrowed and jaw slack, as if having trouble processing what he was hearing. It was only when Steve began to panic so intensely that he began wheezing that Bucky placed his hands on Steve's shoulders and quietly whispered, "Steve, breathe. Relax and breathe." He would always say that when Steve became wheezy, the reminder allowing Steve the clarity to control his breathing in order to avoid an asthma attack.

When Steve had managed to calm himself, he tried again to apologize. Bucky shook his head and Steve felt the words catch in his throat as the feeling of rejection burned in his chest and the acknowledgement that he had just lost his best friend weighed on his mind. Before he could leave, however, Bucky gently placed a hand on his cheek, thumb stroking the prominent bone. With a heavy sigh, he leaned in and kissed Steve's lips. The shock rendered Steve speechless, even as Bucky pulled back and whispered, "I have wanted to do that for a long time."

By his seventeenth birthday, Steve was wholly, desperately, madly in love with Bucky. He often fantasized about asking Bucky to marry him, ignoring the logical part of his brain that reminded him that it would never happen. He wanted so much to believe that he and Bucky could have a marriage and a family and a life just like everyone else. Those were feelings that he kept to himself for a long time. But the stress of his mother dying, of not being able to be by her side at all times in the tuberculosis ward, was too much for him to bear. As Bucky comforted him one night not long before his mother's death, Steve had broken down into tears and mournfully confessed his hopes. Bucky had, of course, tried to look on the bright side. He said that maybe, years into the future, they _would_ be able to get married. Times changed, after all. Maybe that would as well. Steve left it at that; a wonderful thought that both could hope for but would likely never see.

Their contact diminished over the months that Bucky was in Europe and Steve was in the Super Soldier program, and the few letters that they were able to write were essentially useless. Bucky kept out most of the details because he hadn't wanted to upset Steve, while Steve was bound by his confidentiality agreement. He had wanted so much to tell Bucky about the program, the serum, Erskine's death, and his choice between being a lab rat and a dancing monkey (as Peggy had so eloquently put it), but he couldn't. If he had, he would be in jail for life.

Finding out that Bucky had been taken captive and that Colonel Phillips had no plan of rescue was Earth-shattering for Steve. He couldn't lose Bucky, not like that… Not without trying to get him back. Peggy and Howard had been a God-send. There was no way he could thank them properly for putting themselves on the line in the way that they did. He had made it abundantly clear to all of the men who were saved that Peggy and Howard were instrumental in their rescue and that they should be thanked accordingly.

Steve hadn't expected an argument with Bucky after they were medically cleared and allowed to be alone together. Bucky had been furious that Steve would allow himself to be experimented on. Steve had tersely reminded Bucky that he and the rest of the men who had been saved would most likely be dead if he hadn't. Their quarrel had lasted nearly an hour, but it finally ended when Bucky tearfully admitted, "I can't lose you, Steve… What happens if this wears off while we're out in the field with no back up? And even if it doesn't… We don't know what this will do to you. Dr. Erskine didn't exactly know what this would do long term…"

"I guess we'll have to cross that bridge when we get to it, Buck…" Steve had replied, emotionally exhausted, "But you're alive, and if I hadn't gone through with the experiment, you probably wouldn't be. _That's_ what I care most about. Yeah, I wanted to make a difference in the war, but now… I don't know what I would have done if I had gotten that letter from Phillips and couldn't have done anything about it."

Nothing in his life had ever felt more like a failure then when he couldn't pull Bucky back into the train. A voice in his head that sounded like Bucky told him it wasn't his fault and chided him for so recklessly confronting Schmidt, but the pain made it easy to block out. It wasn't just Steve's heart that hurt, it was everything. His head pounded, every muscle ached, his chest was so tight he could barely breath properly, and even his skin felt like it was on fire. The love of his life, his reason for being, was gone and if he had to go down to take down the people responsible, so be it.

Except it hadn't worked out that way.

The serum had kept him alive, preserved in ice for nearly seventy years, and he quickly learned that he had failed again, this time at protecting the world. Schmidt's cube had survived, saved by Howard, and Hydra had been allowed to grow and flourish disguised under SHIELD. Steve knew that Howard, Peggy, and all the others loyal to SHEILD had never meant for what happened, but it didn't change the fact that it did. It didn't change the fact that Steve lost his whole world for nothing.

And it didn't change the fact that Bucky had been alive all those years, tortured and brainwashed and made to do unimaginable things. Seeing Bucky on the bridge that day was simultaneously the most uplifting and heart wrenching moment of Steve's life. When Bucky hadn't recognized him… It was like experiencing his death all over again.

By that time, the Avengers knew the truth. Natasha knew that he was in unimaginable pain but there was nothing she could say to make it easier and when Sam had brought up the possibility of having to take Bucky out... Natasha was surprised that Steve, as strong as he was, didn't break down into tears and fall into a heap on the floor. He had, far too calmly, explained the situation and why he couldn't give up so easily. Sam had nodded and agreed to do everything in his power to keep Bucky alive, but Natasha had pulled him aside and told him not to get himself killed; if Bucky attacked him and it was kill or be killed, do what he had to do. They hadn't known that Steve had heard them and hadn't protested. The logical part of his brain, and the part that valued his short friendship with Sam, knew that he couldn't ask Sam to get himself killed if he could avoid it.

The ensuing fight and Bucky's disappearance only fueled Steve's desire to find him and bring him home. He had seen the flash of recognition in Bucky's eyes during their fight and knew that there was no way for him to have gotten to the river's edge without Bucky pulling him there. Bucky had remembered _something_ and that was enough for him.

Ultron had put a damper on the search and the addition of the Maximoff twins and the revelations of Clint's secret farm where he lived with his brother Barney and their dog Lucky had taken too much of his attention for him to focus on Bucky for a time. It hadn't mattered, though. Not long after the incident in Sokovia, just a few weeks after Scott joined the team, Wanda and Pietro were sweeping the perimeter of the fence surrounding the Avengers complex. Pietro could have easily done it himself in less than a minute, but he liked the alone time with his sister and Wanda wasn't keen to let him out of her sight, "Remember what happened last time?" She would ask, "You got yourself shot, just like I said you would…"

"A little help?" A raspy voice had called from beyond the perimeter before they even noticed that anything was amiss. It was there, through the fence, that they saw one of the most pathetic looking human beings they had ever laid eyes on. Sitting limply against the base of a tree, his hand pressed against his abdomen, covered in dirt and blood, hair shaggy and greasy, face hollow and almost blank as if he had given up on life… It was a familiar sight for the Sokovia natives; one they had often seen at home.

"Who are you?" Wanda had asked cautiously.

"My name…" He had replied through heavy breaths, "Is James. I need to see Steve." The twins watched warily as he pressed his hand harder against his abdomen, blood squeezing through his fingers, "I much rather not bleed to death out here…" He said sarcastically through his pain, "Please… Get Steve."

Wanda had looked to her brother, nodding, "Go get the Captain. I'll watch him."

"Are you sure?" Pietro had asked.

Nodding again, Wanda said, "I can handle it. Go." Pietro had complied, running back to the facility and rounding up the Avengers who were present, "Who are you?" Wanda asked while they waited, "What do you want with the Captain?"

"I'm an old friend…" He had replied before turning his focus to his bleeding stomach. Pain shot through him as he pulled his shirt up above the wound, "Great…" He hissed, once again applying pressure to the wound, "You just gonna stand here?" He asked, glancing back to Wanda. She didn't move. He wasn't surprised, "Okay then…"

Pietro arrived moments later, trailed by cars carrying Steve, Natasha, Tony, Rhody, and Bruce with Sam and Vision following airborne. Steve nearly wrenched the door off its hinges bolting from the car, his eyes quickly flicking about until they found Bucky's prone form lying at the base of the tree, "Buck?"

"Steve…" Bucky whispered, a ghost of a smile on his face, before blacking out from blood loss. Steve was sent into a panic, scaling the fence and racing to Bucky, all the while refusing to hear the protests of his teammates.

It had been Natasha who suggested taking him back to the facility and keeping him under constant supervision, knowing that Steve wouldn't leave him. Bruce had used Helen Cho's technology to heal the deep wound in Bucky's stomach and Wanda had worked her magic on several restraints, "He won't be able to get out of them unless I take them off." Steve had thanked her. His teammates were his friends and he knew that they wouldn't feel safe around Bucky otherwise. He wanted them to feel safe almost as much as he wanted Bucky with him, so he was more than willing to allow the restraints.

Wanda had been on supervision duty when Bucky regained consciousness, "What the hell?" He panicked, pulling furiously at the restraints until his senses returned to him.

"Relax," Wanda had said, "You're safe." After calling for Steve, she approached him, "Did you forget where you were?"

Nodding, Bucky breathlessly replied, "Yeah. I thought… I thought I was back with Hydra." He looked down to his restraints, "They never used anything like this, but… After what happened, I wouldn't put it past them."

"You won't be able to get out of them until I let you out."

Shifting himself upwards, Bucky chuckled slightly, "Yeah… I remember reading about you. Magic and mind control… You scare a lot of people. But I spent seventy years having my mind violated; I've seen scarier than you." Wanda was horrified by that. What on Earth had this poor man been through? She couldn't fathom it. When Steve finally arrived, she excused herself and somehow managed to make it back to her room before collapsing in tears.

"How are you doing, Buck?" Steve asked cautiously once Wand was gone.

"I've been better. I've been worse." Bucky answered simply.

"What happened to you?"

Bucky's face darkened, "I got into a tussle with some lowlife… Enhanced… Very strong… He was trying to make good with the new guy in charge of Hydra… What?" He asked, seeing Steve's face drop, "You thought it went away after von Stucker died? Steve, you're too smart for that. With every head cut off, two more grow back and that's because you've got a lot of underlings looking for someone else to take orders from. This kid…. Ward… He was SHIELD. Most of the agents loyal to SHIELD have regrouped and are working to take him down, but he knows how they work. They don't want to involve you, but I think you're going to have to… not give them a choice. Especially once you let me out of here and I turn myself in."

"Wait, what?"

"Steve, I have to turn myself in. All those files that were released… Everyone knows what I did."

"Yes, and they know that you didn't have control."

"That doesn't mean we avert proper channels, Steve. You know that." Bucky could see the tears welling in Steve's eyes and it killed him, but he couldn't stay on the run. He tried so hard to build a life by lying low but it had made him feel dirty; the blood on his hands staring him in the face nearly every moment of the day. The nightmares made it even worse, "After what happened in D.C, I tried to do as much good as I could. I went around to the SHIELD safe houses that I knew about. I took out as many Hydra agents as I could so that the SHIELD agents on the run would be safe. There were some staying in the houses with the SHIELD loyal… Just biding their time… Waiting to strike. So I waited too. I waited until they were going to make their move and took them out, but I made sure the SHIELD loyal knew what they were. That they shouldn't be mourned."

"Bucky…"

"But it didn't change anything. It didn't change the fact that I've killed so many people. I was headed towards the FBI office in New York, but I had to stop by first to see if you were here." Taking a breath, Bucky pulled himself up as far as he could and gently pressed his lips to Steve's, "Just in case you were wondering what I remembered," Bucky whispered as he pulled away, "Everything."

It hadn't taken much convincing for the Avengers to offer their help. Tony had been ready to make calls to his best lawyers at Stark Industries, but Rhody had objected on the basis that mixing business with personal matters might not be the best option and that they should find lawyers not on Stark Industries payroll. Clint had offered his own options, "They're damn good and they're do-gooders. Once they see he's innocent, they'll take his case. They'd probably be inclined to take it even without Stark's money," Tony had scoffed, "I didn't say it wouldn't be a perk, I'm just saying it doesn't mean _everything_. I can have them meet us at FBI office."

Steve, Tony, Clint, Bruce, and Natasha had escorted Bucky to the FBI New York office. There they were met by two men, one obviously blind, and a pretty blonde woman, "Matt. Thanks for coming." Clint had said, reaching out and placing a hand gently on Matt's shoulder.

"One day, you will have to explain how you know an Avenger…" The other man, blonde and stocky, hissed in Matt's ear.

Matt chuckled, "Met in him a dumpster?" He had joked. In hindsight, neither the Avengers nor Matt's colleagues would ever be able to confidently say he hadn't been telling the truth.

Looking down the street, Clint's brows furrowed, "Where's Jen?"

"Ms. Walters is on her way."

"Wait, what?" Bruce had asked, slightly panicked, "Jen Walters?"

"I met her through SHIELD." Clint explained with a smirk, "They kept her updated on you and she gave them just enough information so that they could anticipate your moves in order to throw… certain people… off of your scent." Bruce opened his mouth to object, but the moment that he saw all six feet seven inches of green Jennifer Walters, he had almost fainted and the conversation ended for the moment.

After his official arrest, Bucky was transported to the United States Penitentiary, Allenwood in Pennsylvania, where he stayed in the supermax lodgings. When word got out, many of the public called for him to be sent to an even more secure location –Guantanamo Bay or ADX Florence in Colorado, the most notoriously hellacious supermax prison in the Untied States- but Matt, Foggy, and Jen had been able to argue against it. He had turned himself in, they had said, and had the right to be as close to his lawyers as possible during his trial.

They spent months arguing in his favor against not only the United States, but the whole United Nations. Their task, getting the majority of the entire world on Bucky's side, was not an easy one. The files released from SHEILD that detailed the monstrous torture and brainwashing techniques that he was subjected to and his behavior inside Allenwood, which the warden had admitted was better than exemplary, were immensely helpful. He cooperated completely with authorities, giving names and locations of terrorist cells and other criminals that Hydra had contracted for major operations; he admitted that he knew of only a fraction of the contracts that Hydra had, but it was better than nothing, "I was a one or two target asset," He had told them, "I was more efficient that way. They left the full-scale chaos to the pros and made sure that no one person knew too much about anyone else. Me included."

The heads of every major national and international security organization in the UN were forced –many begrudgingly- to admit that Bucky's information yielded more arrests and convictions against known and suspected terrorists, mercenaries, and drug cartel members than any other source in recorded decades. By the time his trial ended, the majority of the world saw Bucky Barnes as a hero and a martyr. He had his detractors, of course, but they were few and far between.

While Matt, Foggy, and Jen worked Bucky's case, Steve and the rest of the Avenger's hunted down what remained of SHIELD. Steve had nearly had a coronary the day they showed up at "the Playground" unannounced (thanks to Tony's most recent and advanced tracking tech) and saw Phil Coulson standing there very much alive. Melinda May had been the voice of reason, calming everyone down. Steve had been openly impressed. Within the hour, they were working together on a plan to take out Hydra. A plan that ended successfully, with one of Clint's arrows piercing Gideon Malick's heart and one of Natasha's bullets through Grant Ward's skull. Some in SHEILD felt it should have been one of them to take out Ward, but Natasha had disagreed, "It doesn't matter who killed him. He's dead. Let yourselves move on." After that, Hydra had essentially fallen apart and SHIELD had little trouble taking out the remaining stragglers.

"Hey…" A voice said, pulling Steve from his thoughts. A smile spread across his face of its own accord when Bucky came in to view. He, too, was wearing his dress uniform and his hair –though not quite as long as it had been that day on the bridge- was pulled back into a short, smooth ponytail.

"Hey," Steve replied, closing the gap between the two of them and placing a gentle kiss on Bucky's lips, "I thought we weren't supposed to see each other for twenty four hours before the wedding." He added, somewhat jokingly.

"We know what we look like in our dress uniforms, Steve. It nothing neither of us haven't seen before." Bucky said with a laugh, "Besides, that's for brides, isn't it? I see no brides here… Unless, you're a bride and you didn't tell me."

Steve couldn't stop a hearty laugh from escaping his lips. Learning that marriage was legal for people like him, that he had actually lived long enough to see the thing that he had wished so hard for come to pass, had been like a dream. It had taken a long time for him to believe it, even as he watched state after state, and eventually the federal government, officially legalize marriage for everyone. Despite the distaste had had always had for comparing gay men to women, he could appreciate Bucky's joke for what it was; a reminder that the moment they had hoped for since the 1940's had finally arrived.

Steve grumbled lightheartedly, "I think you would know. Jerk."

"Punk." Bucky replied, wrapping his arms around Steve and holding him in a firm hug.

Steve relished in the hug until it became just a little too tight, "Buck… Are you okay?" Bucky mumbled incoherently, "You had the thought again, didn't you?" Steve asked; Bucky simply held him tighter, "Buck… You know that's not going to happen…" Steve tried to assure him.

"I'm sorry," Bucky said, his voice shaking, as he released his grip and pulled away, "It's just… In an hour, you can't back out, not easily… A divorce would be harder than just walking away…"

" _Bucky…"_ Steve groaned painfully, "It's been more than seventy years… I'm not walking away… We've been through this."

They had; many times, in fact. The first time was on the first night following the completion of Bucky's mandatory rehabilitation period –which he spent on Clint and Barney's farm, surrounded by government agents. Steve had made up a room for him at the Avengers Complex, not wanting to make any assumptions or push Bucky too fast. Knowing Bucky was so close had made him feel even lonelier than he had felt before, making it impossible to sleep. He had silently crept from his room to the kitchen, hoping that a glass of water would help.

On his way back, noises from his private gym had drawn his attention. He made his way quietly, watching from the door as Bucky pounded on one of the high-impact punching bags that Tony had created when he realized how quickly Steve went through the regular ones, "Buck?" He'd asked once Bucky had stopped to take a breather.

"Oh... Steve… I didn't mean to wake you…"

"You didn't." Steve assured him, "I was already up; I couldn't sleep." He said, walking towards Bucky, "Are you okay? You were going at that punching bag pretty hard…"

Bucky opened his mouth to reply, but quickly closed it. He had been planning on lying, saying that he was fine, but he knew that Steve would be able to see through his bullshit, "I… um… I couldn't sleep… The bed is too big… Too comfortable…" It was the truth, but it hadn't been his biggest issue, "And…" And there was no way he could keep it from Steve for very long, so there was no point in trying, "And I keep wondering when you'll realize that I'm not the same guy you knew and want me to leave." Steve had been utterly horrified, but Bucky had continued, insisting that he wasn't 'Bucky' and he wasn't 'the Winter Solider', that he was somewhere in between and if he couldn't figure himself out, how could he expect Steve to?

"Bucky… I'm not going anywhere and I'm not going to ask you to leave. We will figure this out, trust me."

Bucky, though close to tears and not fully convinced, nodded, "Okay… I trust you…" There had been a moment of silence before Bucky mumbled something about taking a quick shower and trying to go sleep.

Steve agreed and made his way back to his bedroom. It wasn't ten minutes later that Bucky joined him, quietly making his way into Steve's room and slipping under the blankets. Once Bucky was comfortable, Steve turned and kissed him on the cheek, quietly whispered, "We'll figure this out… We will."

There had been many similar conversations since then. Though he often didn't show it, Bucky was petrified that Steve would tire of the new him. Even when he noticed the changes that Steve had gone through –the obvious PTSD, the feelings of uselessness and failure that no one but Sam and Sharon seemed to see him struggle with, the intense rage that boiled just beneath the surface that far surpassed anything Steve had ever shown before– Bucky worried that Steve wouldn't want him anymore. When Steve proposed, Bucky had almost thrown up from shock but he had managed to choke out a breathless 'yes' instead.

"I wouldn't have asked you to marry me if I didn't think we could survive this," Steve said, smoothing out his and Bucky's dress uniform jackets, "You know me better than anyone. You know I'm not giving up on us. I didn't when we were teenagers, I didn't when we joined up, and I won't now."

With a shaky sigh, Bucky conceded, "I know… I just…"

He wasn't given the chance to finish, "Hey, lovebirds, what are you doing in here?" Sam called as he and Sharon –him in his own dress uniform and her in a knee-length, cobalt blue wrap dress with cap sleeves, pockets, and matching three inch heeled shoes- entered the room, "We've gotta get this show on the road. Or did you forget there was a wedding you both had to be at?"

"Ha." Bucky replied sarcastically, "You know, I knew there was something I was forgetting."

"Well, people are starting to show up," Sam shot back, "So you better get ready."

"We're ready, Sam." Steve replied, "Who's here?"

Sharon answered, "Gabe Jones's daughter Marie. She's wearing a camera pin with a secure feed so that Antoine and Director Coulson can watch since technically they're dead and can't be here. They sent a gift, though." Steve rolled his eyes; he and Bucky had insisted on no gifts, but he was pretty sure anyone in their close group of friends would ignore that request, "But Marie was the first. The rest are showing up now," She looked slightly upwards, "FRIDAY?"

"Yes, Agent Carter?" The kind, feminine voice of Tony's current AI replied.

"Can you turn on WHiH, please?"

"Of course, Agent Carter." The projector on the ceiling flickered to life, lighting up the wall on the far side of the room.

Steve and Bucky watched as Dum Dum Dugan's youngest son and his family were quickly ushered by Wanda and two Stark Industries security guards passed the barricade that Tony had set up. They had originally wanted to the wedding to happen as quietly and as far away from civilization as possible, but Tony wouldn't hear of it. He promised the use of Avengers Tower's largest ballroom, top notch security, and, " _If we have to shut down the city, we'll shut down the city… This is_ love! _"_ So, to get him off of their backs more than anything, they had agreed.

"Denier's, Morita's, and Falsworth's families are planning on going in the back way. They weren't too keen on the cameras." Sharon said, "But Jack Dugan is just like his father… ' _I'm not sneaking around; let's just go in the damn front door.'_ " Steve and Bucky chuckled. That sounded exactly like something Dum Dum would say, "Scott Lang…" Sharon continued, as Scott stepped out of a dark car, "With Hank Pym and Hope van Dyne… Is it really a wise idea, showing Scott off like this? And why is Hank here? He hates Tony…"

"Everyone knows he's part of the Avengers," Bucky countered, "And ever since Vistacorp got audited and forced into new leadership, he's been considered a modern day Robin Hood."

"And as for Hank," Steve added, "We're trying to get him and Tony on the same page. He's actually been pretty open to the idea, since we're letting him, Hope, and Scott make all the decisions regarding Ant-Man and the Pym Particle."

Sharon shrugged, not willing to press the issue, and turned her attention back to the screen, "Matt, Foggy, and Karen… And… Wow, who is that?"

"Luke Cage." Bucky replied, stifling a laugh at the obviously-impressed look on Sharon's face, "Matt, Foggy, and Karen hired him as personal security during the trial. They knew him from around Hell's Kitchen and, since none of them can turn green and large like Jen, they figured they could use the muscle in case any of my… _detractors_ decided to take matters into their own hands. He's a nice guy."

"Uh-huh…"

Steve chuckled, reaching over to her face and wiping her chin, "Hey, Sharon… You're drooling…" That wasn't true, but she might have well as been.

Glaring, Sharon smacked his hand away, "Shut up, Steve. You cannot tell me that that is not a beautiful man and that if you weren't already utterly besotted, you wouldn't be interested." Steve merely shrugged, giving Sharon the answer she needed, "Mmm-hmm."

"Well, damn, Sharon…" Sam cut in, feigning insult, "If you were looking for a beautiful black man, you didn't have to look that far…"

Sharon scoffed through her nose, "Oh yeah… And what would that get me? Your head is so far up Maria's ass, I'm surprised you actually recognize that other women exist…" Sam's jaw tensed as he shot a glare at Sharon that would have dropped her right there if looks could kill. All of the Avengers knew that Sam held a torch for Maria Hill and had yet to act upon it. Maria was -oddly enough for the woman who had been second in command of the world's largest spy organization until it fell- completely oblivious; and while she didn't hold quite the torch that Sam it, it was clear to anyone with eyes and half a brain that she was attracted to him. It was, quite frankly, getting a little bit pathetic, "And by the way, if you don't ask her on a date before end of the night, I'm going to punch you in the face and then _make_ you ask her out."

"And we will let her," Steve added as Bucky failed at stifling his laughter, eliciting an irritated grumble from Sam.

"Wait… Is that Trish Walker?" Sharon asked confused, once again focused on the large projection, "From 'Trish Talk'?"

"It's Pasty, it's Patsy. I really wanna be your friend, hope this day will never end…" Sam sung under his breath, yielding baffled stares from Sharon, Steve, and Bucky, "What?"

"You watched _It's Patsy_?" Sharon asked, disbelief dripping from her words.

" _Everybody_ watched _It's Patsy,_ " Sam shot back, "And if they say they didn't, they're lying."

"Okay then…" Sharon conceded, turning back to Steve and Bucky, "You invited someone from the media? I thought you were trying to be as under-the-radar as Tony would allow…"

Bucky shook his head and pointed at the screen, to the dark haired woman hastily pulling Trish through the doors of Avengers Tower, "She's with Jessica," He explained.

Face lighting up with comprehension, Sharon said, "The PI that Matt and Foggy hired to hunt down the doctors that Hydra forced to monitor you when you weren't on a mission."

Nodding, Bucky continued, "Well, the ones who managed to escape when Hydra fell. But Jessica and Trish are really close. Jessica asked if she could bring her and said that she wouldn't ask any questions."

"Good luck with that…" Sharon scoffed, "Even the strongest willed journalist would have a hard time not digging for scoop if they were at the biggest social event of the century…"

The guest list hadn't been long and with Jen, Betty, Jane, Darcy, and Erik Selvig already staying in the tower, the wait was even shorter than planned. It was barely a half hour later before all of their guests had arrived, whether willing to brave the onslaught of cameras or sneaking in the back way with help from Happy and his team, "Alright, everyone." Pepper said, gliding in as poised and commanding just as much authority as she would standing in front of the Stark Industries Board of Directors, "The guests are all set and Natasha is ready. Are you?"

Nodding, Steve replied, "Absolutely."

"It's been over seventy years," Bucky added, "I'm tired of waiting." And he was. For all his fears, there was nothing he wanted more than to be married to Steve. The very thought turned him back into a giddy, love sick eighteen year old.

Sharon and Sam simply offered thumbs up, "Alright, we've done this before. Let's go." All four simply smiled at Pepper's natural affinity for making sure that everything ran smoothly. She had somehow become the unofficial wedding planner, taking Steve and Bucky's ideas and desires and finding the most expensive version for Tony to purchase, " _It's how he shows his love… Emotions aren't always his forte, but he knows how to spend absurd amounts of money. At this point, it's just best to let it happen."_ She had said, " _He's not using it as a coping mechanism, so we're safe._ " They had agreed and even worked with her to make sure that some of that absurd spending went towards good causes such as homeless shelters (where all of the extra food from their reception would be distributed), veteran welfare, and resources for the LGBT community.

They followed Pepper to the elevator and down several floors to the private conference area that housed the large ballroom where they could get married, Steve and Bucky hand in hand with Sharon and Sam following behind them. Tony met them at the ballroom door, a suave smile gracing his face as they approached, though there was a slight tightness in his jaw that he couldn't quite relax, "So, Cap, how does it feel?" Tony asked, giving Steve a good-natured slap on the arm, "After ninety-some-odd years, you finally get to hand in your v-card."

"Tony!" Pepper admonished, mortified.

"V-card?" Bucky asked, "What is that?"

Steve shook his head in amusement before looking Tony straight in the eye, "Tony… I was a gay man in the 1940s. If you honestly think I'm a virgin, you're out of your mind."

Tony's eyes widened, "Oh, virgin?" Bucky asked, "No… Not since 1936. July 4th, 1936, actually. Your eighteenth birthday."

If Sam had had a drink in his mouth, he would have spat it out, "Wait… You two had sex for the first time Steve's eighteenth birthday?"

"Of course." Bucky replied, "Age of consent was a bit of a grey area back then, but it was between sixteen and eighteen in most states. It was illegal because of sodomy laws, but we felt it would only be prudent to wait until we were both eighteen since we were going to do it whether it was illegal or not."

Steve scoffed, " _You_ felt it would be prudent."

If Tony's eyes had grown any wider, they would have popped out of his head, "Fine," Bucky conceded, " _I_ felt it would be prudent to wait until we were eighteen. Steve was ready and willing before that."

"Didn't wait long after you were both eighteen…" Sam replied derisively.

"Is this really an appropriate conversation?" Steve asked, exasperated, "I, for one, would like to get married sometime today…"

"Yes!" Pepper exclaimed, "Wedding. There is a wedding. Just open the door, Tony." Tony whined (though he wouldn't have called it that), ready to protest, but Pepper's admonishing gaze was enough to silence him. Without another word, Tony and Pepper opened the doors to the ballroom. Steve and Bucky stepped in as every occupant turned their way. Marie Triplett, who had been seated in the front row on the aisle, inconspicuously stepped just enough to her left so that small American flag pin on her lapel remained unblocked by the other guests.

Natasha stood at the end of the aisle on a slightly raised platform in a floor length dress, the same cobalt blue as Sharon's. As the quartet moved forward, they could hear Pepper hiss under her breathe, "Stop sulking."

"I wanted to…"

"I know." She cut in, "But Steve worked extensively with Natasha during his time at SHIELD. They're close, and you can't do everything. They let you pay for all of this and you should feel lucky that they allowed _that._ Be happy for them."

"I _am_ happy for them…" Tony grumbled.

Steve, Bucky, Sam, and Sharon contained their desires to shoot Tony sympathetic looks. It was likely that neither he nor Pepper were aware that they had been overheard. Tony had been clear with his desire to be as involved in the wedding as possible, part of his need to give nice things to show his affections, but they hadn't expected him to be upset over their choosing Natasha as their ordained minister over him. That must have been the reason for the tense jaw, they deduced, "Before the reception, we should pull him aside and tell him we'll let him pay for the honeymoon," Bucky whispered, making sure that no one but Steve could hear him, "I know we weren't planning on taking a honeymoon, but it will make him feel better."

"Good call." Steve replied as they reached Natasha. They stopped in front of the platform and turned to each other, taking the other's hands in their own. Sam took his place next to Steve while Sharon stood next to Bucky.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Natasha began, "We have gathered here today to celebrate the enduring love of the two men who stand before me. I could go on and on about their struggles, their sacrifices, and their commitments to justice and each other, but… Well, quite frankly they've been waiting over seventy years to get married and they told me to make this short and sweet. Also there is a cake that they are quite looking forward to." Brief laughter echoed through the room, "That being said, they have both written a few words for one another." She turned towards Bucky, "Bucky, I do believe you are first."

Smiling, Bucky gave her a small nod before turning back to Steve, "Jack Cavanaugh and Stanley Duffy." Steve failed to stifle a snort of laughter, "I owe a lot to those two pricks. If they hadn't constantly picked on Millicent and Mildred Harper, you wouldn't have started that fight you couldn't win." Steve merely shrugged, a sly smirk on his lips, "And I wouldn't have had to come save your skinny backside." The crowd chuckled, "I didn't… I didn't know that day, that I was meeting my best friend. I didn't know that I was meeting the person that I would love more than anyone or anything. I was… content… knowing that we would spend our lives together, even if all of this," He glanced quickly around the room before locking eyes with Steve again, "was just a wishful fantasy. When I feel off that train… I thought I'd lost everything. When I woke up in Hydra for the first time, I knew I had. I knew you would think I was dead. For all intents and purposes, I was. Every time I was out long enough to fight what they did to me, I'd remember what I'd lost. I couldn't even remember what hope felt like."

It was, perhaps, much more personal than anyone would have expected from Bucky's vows. He knew that. But the world already knew about his life; what he'd done and what had been done to him. He'd personally decrypted most of Hydra's encrypted files on him –the files that Natasha had released with SHIELD's- to learn more about what had been done to him. It was only fair, he'd surmised, that the world should know too. That choice had given him a lot of clout during his trial.

"But when you found out that I was alive, you didn't give up. You kept looking even when I didn't want to be found. You kept loving me even when I felt like I didn't deserve it." Tears welled in Steve's eyes, catching in his long lashes. Bucky gave him a small, endearing smile and carefully wiped the tears away with his non-metal hand, "You gave me my hope back. You gave me my life back. And I want nothing more than to spend the rest of that life, however long or short, with you."

Natasha allowed for a moment of silence before turning to Steve, "Steve. Your turn."

"First of all, thanks for saving me from Jack and Stanley that day…" Everyone in the room laughed, "I wouldn't have gotten out of that very well. You did that a lot. Saved me. In a lot of different ways. From bullies, from the battlefield… Even from myself. A part of me died when I thought I'd lost you; I'd failed the most important person in my life." Steve could see that Bucky was biting the inside of his cheek, trying not to cry, "I know I can't take back the last seventy years, but I can sure as hell try to make up for them. I am so thankful to have you back and I am grateful that we somehow found our way back together in a place and time where we can be ourselves, openly and honestly." A lump had formed in Steve's throat. He took a moment to clear it and take a deep breath before continuing, "After I was pulled from the ice, I wanted so much to go back in time. Back home, to everyone and everything that I knew. But now… With you… There is nowhere else I would rather be."

Again, Natasha allowed for a moment of silence, "Before we get to the exchanging of rings, if there is anyone here has any reason to believe that these two men should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace."

At that, both Sharon and Sam turned towards the small group, arms crossed across their chests as if to say ' _Or just keeps your mouths shut!'_ At the back of the room, Tony was glaring at each person as if to intimidate any potential naysayers into silence. Every Avenger, in fact, looked on the defensive; ready to shut down any protesters. Neither Steve nor Bucky believed that any of their guests would object; clearly their friends weren't going to take the risk.

"Alright," Natasha continued, satisfied with the silence, "Bucky," Sharon pulled a simple silver colored ring from the pocket of her dress and handed it to him, "Do you, James Buchanan Barnes, take Steven Grant Rogers to be your lawfully wedded in husband; to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, to love, honor, and cherish for all the days of your life?"

A small smile played on Bucky's lips as he looked directly into Steve's eyes, slipped the ring on his finger, and said, "Till the end of the line."

A low gasp escaped Sharon's lips as Sam unconsciously let out a breathy, amused, "Oh my god…" Sharon worked to keep tears from streaming from her eyes, fanning herself gently, "It's a… It's a _thing_ they've got…" Sam quietly explained the mostly confused crowd as he tried to keep himself from laughing.

Natasha ignored Sam and Sharon's small outburst for the most part, quickly turning to Steve, "Steve," Sam took a ring identical to Steve's out of his pocket, turning the transfer into a small high-five. Steve chuckled lightly before turning back to Bucky, "Do you, Steven Grant Rogers, take James Buchanan Barnes to be your lawfully wedded in husband; to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, to love, honor, and cherish for all the days of your life?"

Sliding the ring back onto Bucky's metal left ring finger (small, theoretically unbreakable, retractable hooks courteously of Stark Industries newest venture -advanced prosthesis- would keep it on), Steve replied, "Till the end of the line."

"And with this exchange of vows and rings, and by the power vested in me by the great state of New York and the internet," laughter rang out across the room, "I now pronounce you lawfully wedded husbands. You may now kiss."

"Finally," Steve said, pulling his hands from Bucky's only to immediately grab him by the back of the neck and pull him in for a hard, passionate loving kiss. Bucky reciprocated, wrapping his arms around Steve's torso, bringing their bodies even closer. The assembled group of friends and family hooted, hollered, and cheered, but neither really noticed. All they could see, feel, and hear was each other.

Until they had to breathe, of course. With a sheepish smile, Steve released his hold on Bucky's neck and pulled back slightly and Bucky unraveled his arms from Steve's torso. Clasping hands, they turned to the cheering crowd and began walking back down the aisle, the sound of Fred Astaire's voice singing _Dearly Beloved_ from the movie _You Were Never Lovelier_ filling the room _._ It had been last movie that they had seen together, their last date, before Bucky's initial deployment. Tony had practically tripped over himself upon hearing that information and had immediately implored FRIDAY to find the song.

The room emptied behind them as everyone made their way to the reception area, "Tony!" Steve called, effectively cutting off Tony's conversation with the Dugan family.

"The grooms need me," Tony said, barely containing his relief, "I'll catch up with you all later," With that, he made his way towards the couple, "Thanks for that… Jack Dugan can get chatty… And loud… And… punch-y…"

"How well do you know the Dugan's?" Bucky asked curiously, both he and Steve having been rather shocked at Tony's familiarity with all of the Howling Commandos' families when they'd begun wedding preparations though up to that point having been unable to ask him about it.

Tony shrugged, "Pretty well. We all grew up together. From what I've gathered, after you two disappeared, the Commandos and Peggy sort of latched onto each other. Became sort of like a family. They made dad a part of that little rag-tag group after a run in with some Russian spy… Dorothy or Doris or Darla or something… Basically, dad pissed some people off and Peggy had to save him. Whatever; anyway, long story short, we're kind of like a big old crazy family. I used to change this one's diapers," He said, pointing at Sharon, who had just joined their small group.

"Yeah, and if I remember correctly, Uncle Daniel said that you tried to build a diaper changing machine so that you wouldn't have to," Sharon admonished.

"I didn't want to get poop on my hands!" Tony retorted, "It was a perfectly logical idea! If Peggy had given me a little bit more time before snatching you away, I could have totally made it work."

Bucky couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter while Steve shook his head lightly and changed the subject, "Anyway, moving on for a moment. Tony, Bucky and I have a favor to ask."

"Shoot,"

"Would you mind paying for the honeymoon?" Steve asked, causing Tony's eyes to immediately brighten, "No pressure, of course. You don't have to. But we know you like doing things for people and…"

"Would I mind?" Tony cut in, "Of course I _wouldn't mind_. Now, where were you two thinking? I've got places all over the world you can stay. The Alps? The Mediterranean? The Caribbean? Any place you love birds desire, you just say it."

"We were thinking somewhere warm, out of the way," Bucky said, "I've… kind of had my fill of cold weather…"

Tony nodded, beaming like a kid in a candy store, "I have an island in the South Pacific. It's completely run by FRIDAY, so you'll have the whole place to yourselves. Just tell me when you want wheels up and how long you want to be gone for and the plane will be all yours."

"Thanks, Tony," Steve said, "We'll go over the specifics later."

"Roger that, Cap," Tony replied with a small salute, "Now don't you two have a reception to get to? FRIDAY's got _Long Ago and Far Away_ hot and ready for that first dance."

"We'll be right in, Tony," Steve said with a smile. Tony nodded and headed into the reception hall.

"That was very nice of you," Sharon said, "Tony… He's got a lot of issues. But he's got the biggest heart of anyone I know. He tries to do everything for everyone, anticipate their every need… For so much of his life, he's come off as shallow and uncaring, but that's not who he is. It's never been who he truly was. He lost himself looking for his dad's approval… He's finally learning who he is again and dealing with a whole lot of crap at the same time. We got him to talk to one of SHIELD's best psychologists who works as a professor now –an old friend, someone I knew we could trust- and I think he's getting better. Thank you, both of you, for letting him feel worthwhile. He's had so little of that in his life."

Steve and Bucky assured Sharon that they were more than happy to help Tony, while across the room, tucked away in a small alcove just outside the reception all, Clint had pulled Matt, Jessica, and Luke aside, "What's this about?" Jessica asked tersely.

"Just a little forewarning," Clint replied, causing the three others to stiffen, "You've heard to the Sokovia Accords, right?"

"Who hasn't?" Luke asked, gruffly, "It's been all over the news that Jen rejected them on behalf of the Avengers."

Clint nodded, "They were problematic. Too strict in some ways, too vague in other… We're looking to compromise with the UN, but there has been call from some people to make them even more restrictive. They're looking to create something called the 'Superheroes Registration Act'."

"What the hell does that mean?" Jessica snapped.

"It means that some people feel that people like us are vigilantes and that we should be monitored," Clint began.

"Well 'some people' can eat a big fat cock because I don't do anything outside of my job," Jessica cut in harshly, "I'm not a vigilante, I'm a private investigator. All of my paper work is filed with the city. I am free and clear."

"There's something more to it, isn't there?" Matt asked somberly.

Sighing heavily, Clint continued where Jessica had cut him off, "With the number of enhanced people on the rise and the Inhuman outbreak, the Superhero Registration Act isn't enough for a very small, fringe group. They're calling for government registration of all powered people, regardless of how they acquired their gifts." Jessica looked ready to punch something and Matt swallowed hard, clenching his jaw. Only Luke managed to keep his outward composure, "That includes folks like me and Nat even though we're not gifted like you guys. Now, Jen has already started forming a defense; she doesn't think the mass registration will fly, but she's preparing for it just in case. As for the Superhero Registration Act… Matt, that's going to affect people like you and that Spider kid that Tony has his eyes on, more than it will folks like Jess. If Jen can't put a stop to it… You might have to give _him_ up."

"I can't do that." Matt said flatly.

"Then your choices would be to register or be arrested," Clint replied, "This is only hypothetical. I just letting you know what's going down, so you can be prepared. We're going to need to sort out the Accords first. I'll let you know more when I know more."

Taking a deep breath, Matt nodded, "Thanks for the heads up."

"Yeah, thanks…" Jessica grumbled. Luke remained silent, "Oh for the love of… Trish!" Jessica called, stalking from the alcove towards Trish, who was surreptitiously approaching Steve and Bucky, "Trish, I said no questions!" Trish had the gall to look surprised, "I told you, I got you in here with the promise that you wouldn't hound them or ask them anything…"

"Told you," Sharon said under her breath, just loud enough for Steve and Bucky to hear.

The small commotion caught the attention of Natasha, who had joined Clint at the scene and took his hand in hers. She watched for a moment at Trish tried to appeal to Jessica and decided to take pity on her. Looking to Steve and Bucky, she said, "Ah, hell… Give her one question. She's one of the good ones."

"Wow," Bucky replied, "Black Widow approved. Congratulations, Miss Walker. What's your question?"

Trish, clearly flustered, had to take a moment to compose herself. With a deep breath, she smiled, "So, obviously you two have seen a lot. More than most people who are still alive could imagine. What does this day mean to the two of you, coming from a time when homosexuality in and of itself was illegal?"

"Well," Steve began, "Homosexuality is still illegal. Not in this country, not anymore, but it's still illegal all over the world. It's still illegal for people to be who they are and love who they love. The world has come a long way since the 40s, Miss Walker, but don't kid yourself. There is still a very, _very_ long way to go." He looked to Bucky, "But for us, personally… I can't even begin to describe what this day means to us. Whether we had this ceremony or just walked down to the courthouse and filled out a sheet of paper, we don't have to hide anymore. The number of people like us that we knew then, both fighting in the war and back home, would astound you. I look back every day and hope that they found happiness and love in their lives. Can you imagine, Miss Walker, what it would be like to have to hide yourself from the world? What it would be like to face jail over literally just being yourself?"

Trish shook her head, holding back tears, and Bucky took over, "The world has this fascination with Steve when he was smaller. They like to talk about how little he was and his asthma and his flat feet…" Steve rolled his eyes, "But if anyone with a brain saw his medical records from before his enlistment, they'd know that he wasn't going to live past thirty five."

"I think I would gotten past thirty five…" Steve grumbled.

"Hush," Bucky replied, receiving a glare in return, "I was fully ready to accept that I would outlive him and then be on my own for the rest of my life. Then the war happened. Then Hydra happened. And every time I remembered, I lost another part of myself. Somehow, after all of that, here we are. Together. Married. And we will be, God willing, for a long time. There are no words to describe what this means to us."

After a few seconds of silence, Trish cleared her throat, wiped away the tears she had failed to hold back, and mumbled a quiet 'thank you' before turning on her heel and making her way into the clearly marked bathroom.

The moment held heavily over them until Tony's voice sounded through the whole floor, "There are some old folks somewhere around here who still have to get to their first dance."

Bucky snorted lightly as Steve rolled his eyes, "We're coming, Tony, we're coming!" Steve called, linking his hand with Bucky's and making their way into the reception hall. All of the guests were waiting for them along the walls, watching as they held each other close for their first dance as a married couple.

After the dance, the guests joined in. Tony and FRIDAY had managed to put together a playlist of songs that spanned the decades, songs that Bucky and Steve had enjoyed in their youth and songs that they had come to love when they were playing 'catch up with the times'. Sharon snagged a dance with both of them, as well as Tony, Rhodey, and a few of her Howling Commando cousins before acquiring a champagne flute from a passing robotic maître d' and taking a seat on a bench along the wall.

She watched, both joyfully and with sadness, as Steve and Bucky danced together again. God, she wished her Aunt Peggy could have been there to see it. She wished that Steve and Bucky could have gotten the chance to meet her Uncle Daniel and her cousins. They would have all gotten along so well.

The love in the room was palpable and Sharon was feeling overwhelmed. She watched as Natasha and Clint danced openly, clearly enamored with each other. They weren't a very publicly affectionate couple, but the love that they had for each other was so clear that it couldn't be ignored. Tony and Pepper had taken their dance out to the balcony; a habit of theirs. Bruce and Betty, having finally been reunited after so long, were sitting together on a bench, hands clasped together as if they were afraid to let go. Thor laughed heartily as Jane told joke to a small group of what seemed to be mostly scientists. Sam had _finally_ approached Maria and was asking her to dance.

Even Trish Walker, who had emerged from the bathroom with a clearly fresh coat of make up around her eyes just as Steve and Bucky started their first dance, was feeling the love. She had graciously accepted a dance from Jacques Denier's grandson Pierre and the two seemed to be quite enjoying each other's company.

Sharon took a swig of champagne, wishing it were something a little bit stronger.

"Why are you sitting over here by yourself?" A voice asked, causing Sharon to look up. Pietro Maximoff stood next to her, leaning against the wall.

"I got tired." Sharon said. It wasn't a lie; her dances had been exhausting, particularly when Adam Falsworth, Monty's grandson, insisted that they swing dance together like they had when they were children. It was more flailing than actual dancing, but they had enjoyed themselves.

"You seem sad." Pietro replied.

Sharon sighed. He was annoyingly observant, she had been surprised to learn. For a man who could barely stand still, he noticed a lot more than people thought, "You don't need to worry about my problems, Pietro. I'm okay, I promise."

Instead, he sat down next to her, "But I _am_ worried about your problems. Come on, Sharon. We're friends, right? This was a beautiful wedding that you helped plan. Steve and Bucky have a lot to thank you for. You were happy, you were enjoying yourself. What happened?"

Sharon took a shuttering breath and took another sip of champagne. She didn't want to talk about her feelings, but she didn't want to bottle them either. She'd done that before and it had only led to more pain, "It's just that I can't help thinking about my family. My past. My Aunt Peggy and Uncle Daniel. Their children died without children and my parents… Well, they had me when they were in their forties. I wasn't planned, they had never wanted kids, and they didn't know how to change their lifestyle to accommodate me. I know that they cared for me; I went to the best boarding schools, I had the best nannies and governesses, I could call them and ask them for something I needed or wanted and I would have it within the week. But they didn't know how to be parents. I didn't see them for longer than a month each year from the time I started kindergarten until they died when I was twenty… Yacht accident on the French Riviera. Aunt Peggy and Uncle Daniel took care of me for the most part; they were like my parents. They weren't perfect, but they loved each other so much. They balanced each other out."

A shuttering sigh escaped Sharon's lips. It had been so long since she allowed herself to dwell on her past, "I always wanted a marriage like theirs. Someone to lift me when I was down, pull me down when I got too high… Someone I could be that person for. I've only had a few relationships and every time they ended in disaster, so I stopped trying. I dove in work at SHIELD. But now that SHIELD isn't an option for me anymore and the CIA isn't nearly as distracting. I can't help but feel those feelings again."

Pietro stayed shockingly silence, clearly aware that she still needed to talk and not be interrupted, "Being surrounded by all this love is hard. Steve and Bucky. Thor and Jane. Clint and Nat, Pepper and Tony, Bruce and Betty. Sam finally got off his ass and made a move on Maria, though I'm pretty sure that's mostly because I threatened him, and I'm almost certain that those two," She pointed towards the other end of the hall where Jessica and Luke were standing awkwardly near each other, trying to avoid the other's gaze but failing, "Have something going on. Hell, even Vision and your sister have that weird mind connection thing going on where you're pretty sure they're mentally screwing half the time…"

"Ugh." Pietro groaned, his face contorted in disgust, "Thank you. For that mental image. Thank you so much…"

"Sorry," Sharon apologized sheepishly, "I don't want to ruin anyone's night; this is a day that Aunt Peggy prayed for and I am so happy that I got to see it even if she didn't. It's just kind of hard to see all these happy relationships when I've always felt so relationship-inadequate. It's pathetic of me, I know…" She took a long swig of her champagne.

"Maybe not. Maybe you just need to find the right relationship," Pietro suggested.

Sharon rolled her eyes, "Like who? You?"

Chuckling, Pietro asked, "I am a man. You are attracted to men. That makes me an option, at the very least." She shook her head as if the very idea were nonsense, "And why not? I'm genuinely curious."

"Well, according to your sister," Sharon countered, "you were quite the playboy in Sokovia."

Pietro scoffed, "Really?"

Nodding, Sharon replied, "Yeah, really. And that is literally the last thing I want or need to deal with. I've done that before and it never ends well."

Shaking his head, Pietro sighed seriously, "No it doesn't, but Wanda doesn't know everything. Maybe I'm not a 'playboy'." He scooted ever-so-slightly closer to her, "Maybe I'm just a man who knows what he's looking for. Maybe I'm just trying to find my version of that," He nodded his head towards Bucky and Steve dancing in the center of the room, so absorbed in each other that they hardly noticed anyone else, "and I don't want to waste any time on anything else. Isn't that what everyone wants? Their own version of happiness?"

"And you think that might be me?" Sharon asked, skeptically.

Pietro shrugged, "Maybe. Maybe not. How will we know if we don't try? If not, we can respect that, move on as friends. Not everything has to end badly, Sharon." She sighed heavily through her nose, "So what do you say?" He held out his hand, "May I have this dance?"

Sharon stared momentarily at his hand. With another heavy sigh, she downed what remained of her champagne, placed the glass on a nearby table, and took his hand, "Why the hell not? What could it hurt?"

The pair took to the dance floor just as _Earth Angel_ by The Penguins began to play. The song had quickly become one of Steve's favorites after being pulled from the ice. He instinctually pulled Bucky even closer, relishing in the moment. He hardly noticed when he started singing along so quietly that only Bucky could hear.

Bucky couldn't suppress his grin, dopey and love sick, as Steve unconsciously serenaded him, "I love you, Steve," He whispered, "I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Bucky," Steve replied as they both leaned in, meeting in the middle with a gentle kiss.


End file.
